Sean and Sumer Howard spent years living in a motorhome full-time. They traveled the country, hiking and collecting wine. Through their travels they discovered that the four-corners region held a special spot in their hearts, eventually leading them to settle in Aurora.
The couple’s home was a new build, but they decided to remodel the kitchen because Sumer wanted a more custom look.
“I had a vision for what I wanted and did what I needed to do to make it happen,” Sumer describes.
Living in a motorhome for years gave Sumer a lot of time to dream big and put together her wish list for a full-sized kitchen. She was especially excited about having more space for cooking, and her must-haves reflected this. The list included ample cabinet storage, a large island for prep, and top-of-the-line appliances.
Sumer did all of the design work herself, and drew much of her inspiration from Pinterest and the designers she follows on Instagram. She ended up with an updated traditional style that pairs traditional elements, like crown moldings, with the clean lines of more contemporary styles.
Her countertops are Taj Mahal leathered-quartzite from Architectural Surfaces in Denver and include a drip ledge under the farmhouse-style sink. She purchased her Kitchen Craft cabinets from the Kitchen Showcase in Centennial and chose a weathered-slate color palette that includes hints of maple, seashell, and rift oak.
Sean contributed to the project by doing most of the renovation work himself, from the plumbing to the Moroccan sea-salt-colored backsplash. The backsplash involved placing 1,989 individual zellige style tiles, provided by Cle Tile, by hand.
“Whenever we were considering adding more DIY, Sumer would say ‘It’ll be fun’,” Sean laughs while recalling. “I may have had some different opinions at the time, but looking back it really was fun for us to work together and create something special.”
The couple even has one of the leftover tiles on display in the living room, adorned with the words “It’ll be fun” and the date that the project was finished to commemorate the achievement.
Sumer and Sean chose Signature Kitchen Suite for the appliance package from Appliance Factory Fine Lines in Parker. Many brands were in the conversation when selecting her appliances, but Sumer felt she would have to make sacrifices with most, except for Signature Kitchen Suite.
Sumer and Sean choose a 48-inch refrigerator and freezer column configuration. Both units come panel-ready to match the rest of the cabinetry to the matching unlacquered-brass handles. One of Sumer’s favorite features on this refrigerator was the lift-and-go drawers, which allow more space when hosting guests. With the largest capacity in the industry and precise food preservation, this was an easy choice for their refrigeration needs.
The main attraction to the cooking aspect of Sumer and Sean’s kitchen is the 48-inch dual-fuel range. Signature Kitchen Suite takes its slogan “true to food” to heart, and this piece allows near limitless options.
Known in the industry as the “Swiss Army knife of cooking,” this range comes fully equipped with four open gas burners, a 12-inch induction cooktop, a built-in Sous Vide cooker, and a full-sized convection oven with steam assist.
Sumer and Sean also included a panel-ready SKS dishwasher. Attaching the custom panel was a challenge, but Sumer was set on it and the final result proves that it was worth the extra effort.
Being avid wine drinkers and collectors, Sean and Sumer topped off this project with a pair of beautiful panel-ready wine columns in the bar area.
Both wine columns have a glass panel inside the custom cabinetry, allowing you to see the collector’s entire wine display. The two wine columns are at each end of the bar setup, sandwiching the rest of the matching cabinetry, giving them a dream setup for any wine connoisseur.
“My final outcome was exactly what I envisioned. I had to live through the transformation, but every step was fun. I have a passion for design, and watching my vision come to life has been really exciting and satisfying. My biggest piece of advice is to stand your ground and don’t let people talk you out of things. If you have a vision, find someone who will figure out how to make it happen. Don’t be afraid to point things out that you don’t love. Hire people based on good work and trust, not based on money.” Sumer says.
Sumer is primarily excited about mastering her range’s features and cooking methods. Celebrity Chef Mark Kalix was included with her appliance package from Appliance Factory Fine Lines and will host a dinner party for Sumer, Sean, and their friends. He will also teach them how to maximize every one of the features of all of their new appliances.
Sumer and Sean also have a special bottle of wine reserved to celebrate the completion of their dream kitchen. They can’t wait to enjoy it while reflecting on all their hard work.
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